Electric-light flasher.



M. 0. RYAN. ELECTRIC LI GHT PLASHER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27. 1910' Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

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Qpi l ncoocs Jim JAZ anuentoz affoznu M. G. RYAN.

ELECTRIC LIGHT PLASHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.27, 1910.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

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MICHAEL C. RYAN, OF'PHOENIX, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT FLASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed January 27, 1910. Serial N 0. 540,408.

' hereby declare the following to be a full,

the production of a durable,

ber

clear, and exact description or" the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric light flashers; and the objects and nature of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the'l'ollowing explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what 1 now consider my preferred embodiments from other arrangements and formations within the spirit and scope of my invention.

An object of the'invention is to provide a simple and ellicient flasher or thermostatic switch within an electric bulb socket and so arranged as to be possible of easy adjustment i'rom the exterior of an electric-flashsign lamp box containing the bulb socket, thereby avoiding the necessity of opening or knocking down the lamp box in order to adjust the flasher.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in details, arrangements and combinations of parts for comparatively simple and efficient flasher.

lVith these and other ends in view the invention consists in certain novel features in construction or in combinations and ar rangements of parts as more fully and particularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure l, is a vertical section through an electric light sign, showing the electric light bulb and its socket within the lamp box of the sign, and illustrating how the adjustable contact or screw of the flasher or switch can be adjusted by a screw driver or other implement inserted through a perforation in the bottom of the sign lamp box. Fig. 2,

- is a bottom plan of the socket detached.

Fig. 3, is a vertical section on the line 33,

Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a section on the line H, F 1g. 2. Fig. 5, is a bottom plan or a hollow base showin; the thermal expansion mem detachably held by shoulders in th is a detail bottom being shown in position to. slip laterally vunder said shoulders, Fig. 7 1s a sectional elevation of the structure of Fig. 5, Fig. 8, perspective of the socket base per se of Fig; 5. Fig. 9, is a sectional view of a modification showing a base plate having shoulders to detachably receive the ends of the expansion member and hold the member bowed, the base plate having a large opening for the passage of the contact screw carried by said member to the fixed upper contact plate, the large opening preventing contact of the screw with the base plate, all of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, in the light of the following specification.

l n the drawings 1, is any suitable electric light bulb provided with the usual or any suitable filament havingthe usual exterior terminals 2, 3. The terminal 2, can be the usual metal screwed cap for screwing into the bulb socket, and the terminal 3, can be a metal post or contact exposed at the center of the end of the bulb and insulated from the metal portion 2, or any other suitable arrangement of terminals can be employed.

The lamp bulb holder comprises a socket block or body .4, of porcelain or other suitable non-conducting .material, at its top having the internally threaded socket to removably receive the lamp bulb as usual. The internal screw thread of the socket is formed by a metal sleeve or lining 5, suitably secured in the socket and forming one electrical terminal thereof and adapted to electrically engage the threaded metal 2, of the bulb. lhe other electrical terminal of the socket and which is electrically engaged by the bulb terminal 3, is formed by a metal plate 6, projecting into the lower end of the socket and insulated from the lining 5. 'lhe plate 6, extends through a radial opening in the socket and at its outer end is secured at the exterior of the socket block base by set screw or binding post 7, by which one of the feed or supply wires 8, is secured in electrical connection with said plate 6. The opposite feed or supply wire or connection 9, issecured at the top of the socket base by binding post or screw 10,

connection with the socket terminal 5. The l socket terminal 5, is secured in the socket by screws 11, extending down through the porcelain and secured to a metal plate 12, or other suitable conducting means arranged on the top wall of a chamber formed in the enlarged hollow base of the socket block and usually open at the bottom. The plate 12 is in electrical connection with the socket terminal 5, through the screws 11, and electrical connection comprising a thermostat controlled switch is established between the electric su'pply wire 9, and the plate 12, so that when the bulb is in the socket, the filament thereof will be incandescent only when the said switch isclosed.

- In the specific example illustrated, the plate 12, forms one contact or terminal of the switch (the stationary contact) and the point of a vertical screw 13, forms the opposite or movable contact of the swltch. Th s screw is carried by a thermostat or expansible member which in-this instance consists of a metal plate or bar 14, with whlch the screw 13, is in electrical contact. A heating or resistance coil of fine wire 15, is arranged on the plate or bar 14, with one end of the wire in electrical contact with the screw 10, of the binding post securing supply wire 9,

and with the other end of the wire in electrical contact with the expansion bar 14; the resistance coil being otherwise insulated from said expansion bar. When the switch is closed, the circuit will include wire 8; binding post 7; plate 6; contact 3; the bulb filament; contact 2; socket lining 5; screws 11; plate 12'; switch point or screw 13 expansion bar 14; resistance wire 15; binding post screw 10, to or from the other su pl wire 9. a 1

he lamp or bulb is caused to flash or light and extinguish by the movement of the switch point or screw 13, to and from the fixed switch contact (for instance plate 12) and the movement or position of the switch point is determined by the condition (expansion and contraction) of the expansion bar. The switch point is normally in contact with plate 12, that is the switch is closed when the expansion bar is in its nor mal position. The expansion bar is held or fixed'at both ends in the socket block against longitudinal movement or expansion. The expansion bar at its central portion is formed with a transverse threaded hole through which the screw is vertically adjustable. The screw at its lower end is provided with head 13 by which it can beadjusted and if desired can also be provided with lock nut 13". Theexpansion bar extends horizontally across the chamber of the hollow base of the socket block and is arranged below the horizontal plate 12, and about midwa the vertical depth or height of said cham er.

If so desired, the expansion bar can be formed of stiff or spring metal fixed at its opposite ends so as to hold the bar under tension and arched downwardly and thereby normally holding the switch point pressed upwardly against theplate and in electrical contact therewith. The flow of the current through the resistance wire heats the bar and causes the same to expand and as the bar is held between two fixed points and against longitudinal movement, the expansion ofthe bar causes lateral or buckling movement of the arched central portion of the bar in the direction of least resistance, thereby carrying the switch point downwardly from contact with the plate 12, and breaking the circuit and extinguishing the lamp. The bar thereupon gradually cools and contracts to normal form and condition and again'closes the switch and causes the lamp .to light. The switch can be adjusted to a nicety by manipulating screw 13, to raise and lower the same for varying the intervals between the flashes, or the rapidity of the flashes as well as the length of time the lamp is lighted at eachfiash, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. Gf course, it will be understood that the circuit connections can be otherwise arranged in and on the socket block and that the invention is not limited to circuit connections wherein the resistance wire carries the full current to or from the filament.

The socket block disclosed is formed with an enlarged hollow base open at its bottom or under side and the block is particularly adapted for securing to the wall of a lamp box so that the open side vof the hollow block base will be closed by the wall of the box. In the example shown, the socket block is arranged within a lamp box a, havmg a front sign frame and sign 0 and is secured on the bottom wall or plate of the box by bolts 0, passed down through the socket block and through said bottom plate. The bottom plate of the lamp box is formed with a small hole or perforation d, immediately below the. head of the switch point or screw and in line therewith to admit the insertion of a screw driver, or other implement, into turning. engagement with the screw head so that said screw can be adusted from the exterior of the lamp box. This is a feature of advantage inasmuch as the switch can be thereby adjusted without knocking down the lamp box or separating the same from the sign, and it is often necessary to adjust the switch to secure the desired flashing effect or for other reasons. The location and arrangement of the switch and its actuating thermostat within the socket'block is also a feature of importance in this connection. Various forms of socket pansion bar securing and mounting arrangement's.

The socket block is elongated at its hollow or base portion .to receive a long usually flat expansion bar. In certain figures of the drawings the expansion bar is shown' fixed at its ends against longitudinal movement by bolts 17 extending vertically through theend portions of the block base and having nuts screwing down on the ends of the bar in sockets or recesses in the extended ends of the base, the bolts passing through perforations in the ends ofthe bar. In certain other figures of the drawings, the bar is held in the hollow interior or chamber of the base by being sprung or slipped into recesses or sockets 18, in the inner walls of the end portions of the. socket base so that the bar is held arched downwardly under tension with its ends abutting against walls preventing longitudinal expansion of the bar. if so desired, guideways or passages 19, can be formed in the inner walls of the end extensions of the socket base so that the expansion bar can be passed up through these passages and can then be bent or buckled and slipped laterally over the up holding shoulders formed by the bar retaining recesses 18.

It is evident that various changes and modifications might be resorted to in the forms, constructions and arrangements of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact constructions shown.

What 1 claim is 1. A socket block for an electric light bulb having a hollow base open at the bottom, and electric connections to one of the bulb socket terminals comprising a thermostatic switch including an expansion bar arranged transversely across the interior of the base and held thereto at its ends against longitudinal mdvement, the central portion of the bar being free to buckle downwardly under expansion.

2. A flasher for electric light bulbs comprising a base having opposite recessed walls, and a thermostat switch carried by said base and comprising an arched expansion member engaging said recesses at its ends and held thereby against longitudinal movement with its central portion free to move laterally under expansion.

'3. An electric light bulb socket having a hollow base with opposite portions of its interior walls formed with recesses, in combination with a thermostat switch arranged in said hollow base and comprising an expansion bar spanning the interior of said base with its ends caught in said recesses, whereby the bar is held against longitudinal movements at its ends and its central move laterally under hollow base open at the bottom and provided. with electric terminals for contact with the bulb, and a circuit between one of said terminals and a supply wire connection binding post comprising a stationary contact in the base and electrically connected with said terminal, an expansion bar spanning the interior of the base and at its ends held thereto against longitudinal movement, the central portion of the bar being free to move downwardly under expansion and provided with a vertically adjustable contact movable to and from engagement with said stationary contact, and a resistance coil on said bar.

5. electric light flasher comprising a base having opposite spaced shoulders, a stationary contact, a thermal expansion member carried by said base and at its opposite ends engaging said shoulders and thereby held bowed outwardly at its central portion, a resistance coil on said member, and a movable contact carried by the central portion of said member and moved laterally by the-expansion and contraction thereof intoand from electrical engagement with said stationary contact.

6. An electric light flasher comprising a base having opposite spaced sockets, a then Inal expansion member removably entering said sockets and engaging walls thereof and thereby held bowed outwardly at its central portion, a resistance coil on 'said member, an inwardly projecting contact screw carried by and adjustable transversely through the bowed portion of said member, and a stationary contact adapted to be electrically engaged by said screw.-

7. A socket having electric contact terminals and provided with a hollow base formed with opposite internal recessed shoulders and with passages leading thereto, a removable thermal expansion member movable to and from said shoulders through said passages and held bowed outwardly by engagement with said shoulders, a stationary contact, a contact carried by the said member and adapted to be moved thereby into and from engagement with said stationary contact, a resistance coil on said member, said coil and contact being in circuit normally with one of said socket contact terminals.

8. A hollow base open at the bottom and having internal sockets arranged opposite each other and passages leading to said sockets, a stationary contact, and-a removable thermal expansion member having its ends removably engaging said sockets and being thereby held bowed at its central portion, said member being. movable to and from said sockets through said passages and being provided with a resistance coil and an adjustable contact screw arranged transversely thereof and adapted to be carried into and from electric engagement with said stationary contact by the expansion and contraction of said member.

9. A flasher for electric lights consisting of an insulating support, a plate thereon and forming one'electric terminal, an expansion bar confined at its ends against longitudinal movement, the central support of said bar being bowed in a direction away from said plate, a conducting screw arrangedtransversely of the central portion of said bar and adjustable transverse-1y therethrough toward and away from said plate and forming an electric terminal normally held in contact with said-plate by said bar, and a resistance coil on said bar and in circuit with said screw, for the purposes substantially as described.

10. A hollow insulating base having an opening, in combination with a bowed thermal expansion member arranged within said base, a stationary contact, and a movable contact-moved to and from electrical engagement with said stationary contact by the lateral movement of said member under expansion and contraction, oneof said contacts formed by a vertically adjustable screw accessible through said opening of said base to receive an adjusting implement.

11. A lamp socket adapted to be secured Within a sign box and having a hollow base adapted to be closed by wall of said box, said socket having contact members to be engaged by the contacts of the lamp bulb, and a thermostatic switch carried by said base and in circuit with one of said contact members and comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact, a bowed thermal expansion member having a resistance coil in electrical connection with and carrying one of said contacts and adapted to make and break said circuit by the expansion and contraction of said member, one of said contacts being composed of an adjustable'screw arranged in said hollow base and having an adjusting head exposed at its lower end and adapted to be engaged by an adjusting implement inserted through an opening in said Wallof the sign box.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL 0. RYAN.

Witnesses J. W. Loomis, GHARLES F. Looms. 

